vernaz



4 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. VERNAZ.

(N0 Model.)

MUSIC BOX.

No. 557,349. Patented Mar.31,1896.

2 a e h S P m e h S 4 Z- AX NM 0 BI m M A (No Model.)

No. 557,349. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

MHIUTO-WQWASHINGI'DNDF,

4 Sheets-Sheet 3. A. VERNAZ. MUSIC BOX.

(No Model.)

No. 557,349. Patented Mar. 31,1896.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4. A. VERNAZ.

MUSIC BOX.

(No Model,)

No. 557,349. Patented Mar. 31,1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXIS vEENAz, on sTE. CROIX, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO MERMOD FRERES, OFsAME PLAcE.

MUSIC-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,349, dated March31, 1896. Application filed July 2'7, 1895. fierial No. 557,331- (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXIS VERNAZ, of Ste.- Croix, Switzer1and,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Boxes, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to that class of musical boxes in which the tunesare obtained by automatically sounding the steel prongs of a fixedsonorous comb; and the invention has especially for its object acombination of means for causing the said automatic sounding of theprongs by means of a traveling perforated sheet of paper or othersuitable material.

The invention further consists of certain parts and details andcombinations, as will be hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification, and in which similar letters and numerals of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figures 1 and l are plan views representing, jointly, the whole of theinstrument, the perforated sheet being supposed to be withdrawn. Fig. 2is a cross-section through the sonorous combs, showing those parts ofthe mechanism which are repeated in front of every prong of the combs,the ranging device intended to set the star-wheels with their respectiveteeth in straight lines, and through the arm or lever intended to guidethe perforated sheet, the said parts existing in front of every prong ofthe combs, the latter being shown at rest. Fig. 2 shows the said partsin front of each prong in the position in which the dampers m and m bearagainst the re spective prongs C and D, and a tooth of the star-wheel Fis in an opening of the perforated sheet, but not yet acted upon by thelatter. Fig. 2 shows the same parts as Fig. 2, but with the dampers mand m out of reach of the respective prongs and the tooth of thestar-wheel F within an opening of the perforated sheet. Fig. 3 showsseparately one of the levers Z. Fig. 4 shows separately one of thelevers M. Fig. 5 shows separately, in

plan view and cross-section, the ranger V. Fig. 6 shows the said rangerV in combination with its lever n and a star-wheel F. Fig. 7 showsseparately one of the friction-rin gs J.

Fig. 8 shows separately one of the star-wheels F. Fig. 9 is an axialsection of the double pinion placed upon the end of the axis of thestar-wheels. Fig. 10 is a partial section of the speed-regulator. Fig.11 is an under side view of the knob P of the regulator. Fig. 12 is aside elevation of the stopping device. Fig. 13 is a side elevation ofthe silent click. Fig. 14 is a partial plan view of the perforatedsheet. Fig. 15 is aside elevation of the damper m in the position ofFig. 2. Fig. 16 is a side elevation of the damper m in the position ofFig. 2. Fig. 17 is a side elevationof the damper m in the position ofFig. 2 Fig. 18 is a side elevation of the damper m in the position ofFig. 2. Fig. 19 is a view of the stoppingmechanism. Fig. 20 shows thesame parts at right angles to Fig. 19 and with the levers Q Q insection, the parts being in the position for the music-box to stopautomatically; and Fig. 21 is a view similar to Fig. 20, with the partsin position for the box to continue playing until the motor runs down.

I11 all the figures of the drawings the same letters and numerals ofreference refer to the same parts.

The base-plate A bears amotor B and one or more combs provided withsonorousprongsas, for instance, C and l). The wheel I) of the motor Bengages a pinion e, which is fixed to the shaft E, also a pinion g onthe shaft G, which shaft carries a wheel that acts on the worm-pinion72. of the speed-regulator, as usual in music-boxes.

The wheel b of the motor B engages a pinion 2', which is free to rotateon the shaft E and which is rigidly connected by means of a sleeve ortubular axis with the pinion I, the latter having projections that passinto holes in the perforated sheet to revolve the same.

By means of a suitable combination of diameters and teeth numbers of thewheels b and Z2 011 the one hand, and of the pinions g and t', 011 theother hand, the relative speed of the star-wheels and of the perforatedsheet may be determined at will, and this will preferably be done insuch a manner as to have the star wheels rotating with a somewhat higherspeed than the perforated sheet.

Each of the star-wheels F is provided 011 one of its faces with alateral projection f,

Figs. 8 and 9, and is free to rotate on the shaft E. Between every twoadjacent starwheels F there are provided split rings J, which embracewith smooth friction the shaft E, and in the slotj of which is engagedthe proj ection f of one of said adjacent star-wheels F, so as to havethe said rings J and starwheels F normally rotating with the shaft E,

but able to bestopped without stopping said shaft E.

The combs C and l) are so disposed as to have each of their prongs ableto be acted upon by one of the teeth of the corresponding star-wheel Fwhen said star-wheel is rotated in the direction indicated by an arrowin Fig. 2.

Upon a longitudinal shaft L, fixed in suitable bearings, there is aseries of levers Z, each provided with a nose Z, a lateral projection ortooth Z to stop the teeth of the corresponding star-wheel, an arm Z theend of which forms a suitable hook to engage the fork m of a three-armedrocking lever M having two beveled arms m and m. Each of the said leversZ is acted upon by means of a suitable spring Z so as to normally bearwith its nose Z against the lower face of the perforated sheet K.

In reach of each prong of the combs G and D there are two spring-shapeddampers m and m fixed at m to a suitable bearing and formed,substantially as shown in side elevation in Figs. 15, to 18 of thedrawings, with suitable bosses disposed so as to'be acted upon,respectively, by means of the arms m and m of the three-armed rockinglever M, according as the latter is rocked by means of the arm Z of thelever Z either into the position shown in Fig. 2, in which the dampersdo not bear against the prongs of the combs, or into the position shownin Fig. 2, in which the dampers bear against the said prongs. Those twopositions of the rocking lever M and of the dampers m and m are obtainedby means of the nose Z of the lever Z being either depressed by a fullportion of the perforated sheet K or engaged in an opening of the same.

Vhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the nose Z of thelever Z being depressed by a full portion of the sheet K, the tooth Z ofthe said lever Z prevents the star-wheel F being rotated by the shaft Eand holds the same in such a position as to have none of its teethengaged nor in contact with the perforated sheet K. In this position ofthe lever Z its arm Z holds the rocking lever M in the position in whichthe dampers m and m are out of action. Now when the perforated sheet inthe course of its forward motion. presents an opening in front of thesaid nose Z of the lever Z the latter is rocked by the spring Z into theposition shown in Fig. 2, in which the tooth Z leaves the star-wheel Ffree to be rotated by the shaft E, and the arm Z causes the rockinglever M to press the dampers m and m against the prongs C and D. Thestar-wheel F being rotated with the axis E in consequence of thefriction of the split rings J until its teeth meet the prongs C and D,the forward motion of the perforated sheet K causes the nose Z of leverZ to be again depressed and the arm Z causes the dampers m m to be againretracted out of reach of the prongs C and D. Then the edge of theopening of the sheet K catches one of the teeth of the star-wheel Fwhich projects into said opening and causes the star-wheel F to soundthe prongs O and D, which would not take place by means of the merefriction of the rings J against the star-wheel F. The latter thencontinues its rotation until one of its teeth is stopped again by thetooth or projection Z of the lever Z when the parts have reached againthe rest position shown in Fig. 2.

The perforated sheet K is pressed against the range of noses Z by meansof an arm K provided with a series of suitable rollers pivoted to saidarm. The latter is hinged at K to a suitable bearing and may be lockedto a central stud K by means of a suitable looking device 7t. In casethe perforated sheet be circular, as shown in Fig. 14:, the stud K willact as a pivot for the said sheet K.

The ranger is formed of a comb V, Fig. 5, having suitable projections onthe ends of its teeth that pass in between the star-wheels F. The saidcomb V has a tubular axis upon a longitudinal shaft in front of therange of star-wheels F in such a position that it can act on one toothof each of such star-wheels F and sets the teeth into line. One end ofthe tubular axis of the comb V carries an arm or lever 12 acted upon bya spring '1), which tends to rock the ranger V into the position shownin Fig. 6. The other end of said tubular axis of the ranger V carries anarm 1 which is acted upon by a roller 7%, that is carried in jaws thatproject from the arms K. The arm 12 is automatically depressed by theroller Zt' when the arm K is swung down in affixing the perforated sheetK. By this movement of the arm 1) the comb V is rocked, so that the edge20 of the comb is out of reach of the teeth of the star-wheels F; butthe teeth 21 of the ranger-comb are between the star-wheels. \Vhen thearm K is lifted to take off the perforated sheet, the rangerVis broughtinto action by the spring '0' and acts to bring the teeth of all thestar wheels into line by the edge 20 of the ranger acting upon theadjacent teeth of the star-wheels F.

The speed-regulator, acted upon by suitable gearings, as specifiedabove, is composed of wings H and H which form elastic air-bags in whichthe airis caught when the regulator is rotated. The pressure of the airthus caught causes the said elastic wings to be more or less extended,whereby each of them presses the arm 7L2 of a crank-lever h pivoted atZLX against a cone N placed around the axis of the regulator. The cone Nsurrounds a sleeve 0 fixed to the under surface of the bridge 0, and itcan be shifted up and down on the the adjacent lever Q same. The uppersurface of said bridge 0 bears a sleeve 0, on which is placed a rotativeknob P, provided with a central recess having a screw-shaped bottom. Theaxial displacing of said knob P is prevented by means of a screw 19screwed into the sleeve 0. The cone N has an eccentric projection 01,which projects through the bridge 0 and which is pressed by means of aspring n against the screw-shaped bottom of the recess p of the knob P.Thus it is evident that if the knob P is rotated the cone N will beraised or depressed, and this will increase or reduce the intensity ofthe friction of the levers 7L2, the purpose of this device being toprovide means for reducing or increasing by hand the normal speed ofrotation of the regulator.

The stopping device is composed of two levers Q and Q both fulcrumed atg and provided with a hooked end to catch the wings of the regulator.The lever Q has an arm g to be acted upon by hand for stopping themovement. This can be done during the playing of the tune. The samelever is provided with a hook g projecting upward over The latter isprovided with a screw or projection 1 to which is attached a spring gacting upon the said lever for raising the same to its upper position inwhich it catches the wings of the regulator. The hook or projection g ofthe lever Q is long enough to allow the lever Q to be raised into itsupper position by the action of the spring g whenever the hand-lever Qis not held in its lowest position by being hooked to the lowest notchof a notched catch-spring R, as seen in Fig. 21. The said catch-spring Rhas three superposed notches in which the lever Q may be hooked at will.When hooked to the lowest of these three notches of the catch R, thelever Q is depressed in such a position as to have its hook g draw downthe lever Q out of reach of the wings H or H \Vhen hooked to the middlenotch of the catch R, the lever Q is depressed in such a position as notto catch the wings II or 11 but to allow the lever Q to catch the saidwings without meeting the hook or projection g of the lever Q. \Vhenhooked to the upper notch of the catch R, the lever Q is in position forstopping the wings, and of course in this position its hook orprojection g is out of reach of lever Q It is evident therefore thatwhen the lever Q is in the last-mentioned position the wings of theregulator are stopped by both the levers Q and Now if the arm of thelever Q is acted on byhand so as to hook the same into the lowest notchof the catch R the hook will meet the lever Q and depress the same outof reach of the wings ll or 11 and the tune will play as long as themotor-spring causes the parts to revolve. Now if the lever Q is hookedin the middle notch the same will not stop the movement, but its hookwill leave the lever Q free to stop it. The said lever Q has atubularaxis (1 and on this axis there is provided an arm (1 that extends up tothe perforated sheet and bears against the edge of the same, asillustrated in Fig. 19. As long as said arm Q6 bears under the action ofthe spring (1 against the said edge of the sheet K it holds the lever Qout of reach of the wings II and 1-1 but if there is provided a suitablenotch in the said edge of sheet K then the arm will engage the saidnotch and cause the lever Q to stop the wings of the regulator. Thiswill, for instance,take place at the end of each tune but if the lever Qis depressed in its lower position its hook g will prevent the lever Qfrom stopping the regulator and the movement will continue to play.

The silent click shown in Figs. 1 and 13 is intended to prevent thebackward motion of the axis of the spring-motor and to allow the windingup of the same. To the motor-axis there is affixed a ratchet-wheel S, infront of which there is a click T pivoted at t to a suitable bearing onthe base-plate A. To the said click T there is hinged a strap or skid Uformed and disposed so as to bear tangentially against the teeth of theratchet-Wheel S when the latter is rotated, as shown by an arrow in Fig.13, for winding up the mainspring, thereby holding the tooth of theclick T out of reach of the ratchet-wheel S or to allow the tooth ofsaid click T to again engage the ratchet-wheel S when the latter rotatesin the reverse direction.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim- 1. In musicalinstruments the combination of one or more sonorous combs with a seriesof star-wheels F, a continuously-rotating shaft E receiving suchstar-Wheels, each star-Wheel being provided with a projection f and asplit ring engaging the projection, levers Z having each a nose Zbearing against the perforated sheet K, the spring V, a tooth Z intendedto catch the teeth of the starwheel F when the nose Z of lever Z isengaged in a hole of the perforated sheet K and an arm Z engaging thefork m of a rocking lever M, the two arms at and m of which act upon thedampers m and m so as to either press the same against or retract thesame out of reach of the prongs of the sonorous combs O and D, withoutthe star-wheel F acting directly upon the dampers m and m substantiallyas shown and described.

2. The combination with a musical instrument adapted to be operated by aperforated sheet, of a guide-arm K to hold the perforated sheet K inposition, a ranger Vformed as a comb, a series of star-wheels acted uponby the perforated sheet, and means for moving the ranger V by the arm Kand means for moving such ranger and bringing the teeth of thestar-wheels into line when the arm K is raised, substantially asspecified.

3. In a musical instrument, the combination with a motor of the wheelsI) and b the pinion e and its shaft E, the star-wheels F upon the shaftE, the pinion t' and its connecting-pinion I loose upon the shaft E anddriven by the motor to act upon the perforated sheet K, substantially asspecified.

4. In musical instruments acted upon by a spring-motor, the combinationof the elastic wings II and H with arms 77/2 and a cone N capable ofbeing raised or lowered by hand but prevented from rotating by means ofa projection or entering a recess p with a helical bottom, with ahand-knob P, substantially as shown and described and for the purposespecified.

5. In musical instruments the combination with a catchR having threenotches, of a stoplever Q having an arm (1 to be acted upon by hand andahook or projection g projecting two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXIS VERNAZ. Witnesses:

G. MERHLMENT, BENJ. H. RIDGELY.

